


Dance Through The Storm

by LuluMinati



Series: Haunting Dreams [1]
Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: But also not, Chronic Pain, Dancing, Disabled Character, Disabled V, F/F, M/M, SpardacestWeek, This is quite possibly the sappiest thing I've written in my life, V is technically his own character, Weddings, kinda fixit (just not quite yet), unbeta'd lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 08:18:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18634345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuluMinati/pseuds/LuluMinati
Summary: V wanted to dance again.Since returning from the dreamspace between worlds, his injuries sustained in another realm still haunted him—phantom aches with no visible cause that nonetheless caused him pain. And he missed dancing. Without his familiars to help him move, even idly stepping while twirling his new cane was now difficult at the best of times.This was not the best of times.





	Dance Through The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Self-projection? What self-projection? I'm just a humble former dancer with chronic pain and an unhealthy interest in DCM, what self-projection are you talking about?
> 
> On a serious note though, I thought of this while listening to Loreena McKennitt's Tango to Evora, and the idea solidified yesterday during a thunderstorm that lasted all day...
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy my first attempt at...fluffy, romantic fic instead of my usual kinky pwp fare. ^^'

V wanted to dance again.

Since returning from the dreamspace between worlds, his injuries sustained in another realm still haunted him—phantom aches with no visible cause that nonetheless caused him pain. And he missed dancing. Without his familiars to help him move, even idly stepping while twirling his new cane was now difficult at the best of times.

This was not the best of times. At least, not for his body.

It was, in other ways, the very best of times; there was a wedding. Kyrie and Nico’s.

Unfortunately, his body chose this day to hurt even more than usual. His left hip, knee, and ankle were filled with fire and sand, robbing him of his ability to walk—or think—straight. Alcohol was freely available, but would only make things worse; the amount he’d need to stop hurting would make him so senseless as to ensure he’d only further injure himself (and made a complete fool of himself in the process—something he would never forgive himself for at his dear friends’ wedding, of all things.)

Through his pain-fogged mind though, there was one thought that came to him in sharp clarity as he listened to the band playing a gentle, tango-esque song: He desperately missed dancing. He’d never been overly serious about it, but he’d had a casual interest that held throughout the years, and now…

His chest ached almost as much as his leg.

“How you holding up?” Nero sat down beside him. The drinks in his hands indicated that his visit to the open bar had been successful. He offered a glass of red wine to V, and kept the tumbler of sweet-smelling amber liquid on ice for himself. The fact that he’d offered to go fetch the drink without being asked told V that he was failing to hide how much pain he was in.

V idly swirled the liquid around in the glass for a moment before answering, “I...want to dance.”

_‘I want to dance again without worrying. I want to dance again without hurting. I want to dance again whenever and wherever I want. I want to dance without feeling every rainy day in my bones’_

As if to punctuate this thought, thunder rolled outside, completely ignored by the revelers inside, all warm, happy, and dry in their celebrations. Lightning flashed for a split second through the tall windows of the reception hall, framed in long, ornate red and white drapes that matched the table dressings. The celebration inside remained completely unaffected by the rain falling against the towering glass panes

Unaffected, save for one.

Nero raised an eyebrow. “What, you want to dance right now? Are you, uh...sure about that?”

That hadn’t really been what V meant, but the more he considered it…

“Yes, right now,” he sipped his wine thoughtfully while watching dancers, including the now-happily-married couple, group into pairs for a slow dance. “I might not be able to later.”

Nero sighed. “You know how much I hate it when you pull that ‘final request’ crap, V.” Nero leaned in, close enough to comfort without seeming _too_ affectionate in public; that was for Nico and Kyrie after all. “You need to rest. They won’t mind if you have to leave a bit early because you’re hurting. If anything, they’re going to rip you a new one for not leaving sooner.”

Nero was absolutely correct, of course. Nico would no doubt berate him with a colourful mix of curses, insults, and offers to help. Kyrie would smother him in sickly sweet sympathies made in equal parts of concern and almost motherly guilt-tripping.

V knew he would hurt later. But he had all of the next two days to recover. Besides, he couldn’t quite describe to Nero how staying still when the soft plucking of guitar strings and the warm, smooth violin called to him would hurt him more right now than an entire day of running or standing would.

He wanted to dance.

“One song,” he dragged his jealous gaze from the wedding guests to Nero’s concerned face. “Let me...hobble through one song, and then I’ll rest, I promise.”

Nero sighed and brought his face close enough to give V a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re lucky you’re so cute, you know that?” V smiled, knowing he’d already won their small battle of wills.

Nero put their drinks aside before standing and bowing before V, grandly outstretching one arm in invitation. “Shall we dance?”

As much as V wanted to laugh at Nero being so... _Nero_ , there was also something about seeing him in a perfectly fitting formal tuxedo asking him to dance that made his heart skip a beat. A bit of vanity made him hope he looked as good in his thinner, matching tuxedo, with his white hair tied back with a small black ribbon.

He took Nero’s offered hand, set his cane aside, and raised himself as gracefully as his body would allow. They made their way to the dance floor.

The song demanded nothing spectacular to follow along, only to sway in appreciation. Nero placed an arm around V’s waist and pulled him in close. His other hand held V’s, arm offering far more resistance than V expected.

Nero wasn’t just dancing with him. He was holding him up.

V closed his eyes and leaned against Nero as much as he could while they moved in time with the music.

“Thank you,” V murmured to Nero’s ear. “This is perfect.”

And it was. The guests, the rain, the world all faded until there was only the two of them, the music, and their gentle swaying.

They stayed like that, enjoying the closeness of each other as they slowly orbited each other until the song came to a gentle close, slowing before fading completely. The moment lingered over the dancers for a moment after the song ended, only to be abruptly ended by scattered applause.

“Nero, I lov—”

Lightning flashed from outside again, a moment before the room went dark, lit only by small tealight candles placed on tables.

The towering windows weren’t able to keep all traces of the storm outside after all.

One of the members of the band laughed and simply started playing another song. The others joined. The laughter was infectious, spreading through the wedding party like wildfire while several searched for more candles and flashlights. Even the bar staff seemed amused for now.

From the corner of his eye, V saw Kyrie and Nico kiss for what must have been the thousandth time that night, smiling faces lit only by the small, warm light of Nico’s lighter.

Still completely in the dark, Nero moved his face from where he’d practically buried it in V’s shoulder while holding him upright to steal a deep kiss in the little bit of privacy the sudden darkness had given them.

V’s knees felt weak for reasons that had nothing to do with pain.

They were still very much lip locked when the lights came back to life. It wasn’t clear if the nearby cheers were for the lights, or for their kiss. V had a feeling that the one sounding distinctly like Dante was for them, and not that the power had been restored.

They finally broke apart, smiling and blushing. Nico let out her loud, signature laugh while Kyrie giggled softly beside her. It seemed no one minded their open display of affection at another’s wedding, just this once.

“Love you too,” Nero said, still grinning. “Now let’s get you sitting down again before you trick me into another dance.”

No, V wouldn’t try for another tonight. One dance was probably all he could take for now. His left side ached, and he didn’t regret a single second of it.

Nero helped V back to their seats where their drinks and V’s cane sat waiting for their return.

V would never say that love cures everything; it certainly didn’t fix his leg. But sometimes it did help ease an aching heart. On this stormy night they’d all chosen to celebrate love itself, love was enough for now.

The sky flashed once more to join the festivities and thunder boomed in congratulations. The crowd laughed again and the band launched into an upbeat song to match the newfound cheer.

Love was _just_ enough for now.

 

END

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> If you liked that (and aren't a minor) come talk to me on twitter, @Lulu_Minati. You can see me talk about puns, cats, and DMC characters doing kinky stuff. :3


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